CBSE Class 10 syllabus
The CBSE Class 10 syllabus for 2026-27, subject by subject: 63 topics to work through. On SkillStar, Class 10 children also get 1 mock test marked instantly and sample papers to download.
- Class
- Class 10 (Grade 10)
- Syllabus years
- 2026-27
- Topics
- 63
- Mock tests
- 1
- Downloads
- 15
CBSE Class 10 syllabus 2026-27
Mathematics
- Real Numbers: Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic; proofs of the irrationality of √2, √3, √5. (Unit I: Number Systems, 6 marks)
- Polynomials: Zeros of a polynomial; relationship between zeros and coefficients of quadratic polynomials.
- Pair of Linear Equations in Two Variables: Graphical and algebraic solutions (substitution and elimination), consistency and inconsistency, simple situational problems.
- Quadratic Equations: Standard form, solution by factorisation and the quadratic formula, discriminant and nature of roots, word problems.
- Arithmetic Progressions: nth term and sum of the first n terms of an AP, with applications to daily-life problems.
- Coordinate Geometry: Distance formula and section formula (internal division).
- Triangles: Similar triangles, Basic Proportionality Theorem and similarity criteria, with proofs and applications.
- Circles: Tangent to a circle: the tangent is perpendicular to the radius at the point of contact; equal tangents from an external point.
- Introduction to Trigonometry: Trigonometric ratios of acute angles, values for 30°, 45° and 60°, relationships between the ratios.
- Trigonometric Identities: Proof and applications of sin²A + cos²A = 1 and simple related identities.
- Heights and Distances: Angles of elevation and depression; simple problems using 30°, 45° and 60°.
- Areas Related to Circles: Areas of sectors and segments; problems on area and perimeter of plane figures.
- Surface Areas and Volumes: Surface areas and volumes of combinations of cubes, cuboids, spheres, hemispheres, cylinders and cones.
- Statistics: Mean, median and mode of grouped data.
- Probability: Classical definition of probability and simple problems on finding the probability of an event.
Science
- Chemical Reactions and Equations: Chemical equations and their balancing; combination, decomposition, displacement, double displacement and precipitation reactions; oxidation and reduction. (Unit I, 25 marks)
- Acids, Bases and Salts: Acids and bases in terms of H+ and OH– ions, indicators, neutralisation, the pH scale, and common salts such as baking soda, washing soda and Plaster of Paris. Assessed formatively.
- Metals and Non-metals: Properties of metals and non-metals, reactivity series, ionic compounds, basic metallurgy, corrosion and its prevention.
- Carbon and its Compounds: Covalent bonding, versatile nature of carbon, hydrocarbons and homologous series, functional groups, ethanol and ethanoic acid, soaps and detergents.
- Periodic Classification of Elements: Döbereiner's triads, Newlands' law of octaves, Mendeleev's and the modern periodic table. Included in the syllabus but assessed only formatively.
- Life Processes: Nutrition, respiration, transport and excretion in plants and animals. (Unit II: World of Living, 25 marks)
- Control and Co-ordination: Tropic movements and plant hormones; nervous system, reflex action and animal hormones.
- How do Organisms Reproduce?: Asexual and sexual reproduction in plants and animals, reproductive health, family planning and safe sex.
- Heredity: Heredity and variation, Mendel's laws of inheritance, sex determination. (Evolution is assessed formatively.)
- Light – Reflection and Refraction: Reflection by curved surfaces, spherical mirrors and the mirror formula; laws of refraction, lenses, lens formula and power of a lens. (Unit III: Natural Phenomena, 12 marks)
- The Human Eye and the Colourful World: The eye as a lens system, defects of vision and their correction, refraction through a prism, dispersion and scattering of light.
- Electricity: Electric current and potential difference, Ohm's law, resistance and resistivity, series and parallel combinations, heating effect and electric power. (Unit IV: Effects of Current, 13 marks)
- Magnetic Effects of Electric Current: Magnetic field and field lines, field due to a current-carrying conductor and solenoid, force on a conductor, Fleming's left-hand rule, AC and DC, domestic circuits.
- Our Environment: Ecosystems, environmental problems, ozone depletion, waste management, biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances. (Unit V: Natural Resources, 5 marks)
Social Science
- History: The Rise of Nationalism in Europe: The French Revolution and the making of nation states in Europe, social movements and the causes of the First World War.
- History: Nationalism in India: The Khilafat and Non-Cooperation movements, Gandhiji's strategies and the sense of collective belonging.
- History: The Making of a Global World: The pre-modern world, conquest, disease and trade; later sub-topics are covered through an interdisciplinary project.
- History: The Age of Industrialisation: Industrialisation in Britain and India and its impact on colonies. Assessed as part of periodic assessment.
- History: Print Culture and the Modern World: The spread of print from East Asia to Europe and India and the impact of the print revolution.
- Geography: Resources and Development: Types of resources, resource planning in India, land use and soil conservation.
- Geography: Forest and Wildlife Resources: Biodiversity in India, causes of depletion and conservation under sustainable development.
- Geography: Water Resources: Water scarcity, multipurpose river projects, rainwater harvesting and conservation.
- Geography: Agriculture: Types of farming, cropping patterns, major crops and challenges facing Indian farmers.
- Geography: Minerals and Energy Resources: Distribution of minerals, conventional and non-conventional sources of energy and their conservation.
- Geography: Manufacturing Industries: Types of industries, location factors, their contribution to the economy and industrial pollution.
- Geography: Lifelines of National Economy: Transport and communication networks and international trade (map pointing in the board examination; interdisciplinary project).
- Political Science: Power-sharing and Federalism: Why power-sharing is needed in a democracy; Belgium and Sri Lanka; federalism in practice in India.
- Political Science: Gender, Religion and Caste: How gender, religion and caste shape democratic politics in India.
- Political Science: Political Parties: Role, functions and number of political parties; elections and the right to vote.
- Political Science: Outcomes of Democracy: Quality of government, economic well-being, inequality, social differences, freedom and dignity.
- Economics: Development: Developmental goals, per capita income, comparing countries, and multiple perspectives on development.
- Economics: Sectors of the Indian Economy: Primary, secondary and tertiary sectors; organised and unorganised sectors; public and private sectors.
- Economics: Money and Credit: Money as a medium of exchange, formal and informal sources of credit, and self-help groups.
- Economics: Globalisation and the Indian Economy: What globalisation is and the factors that enabled it; production across countries and the WTO (interdisciplinary project).
- Economics: Consumer Rights: Consumer awareness and rights, covered through project work.
English (Language and Literature)
- Reading skills: A discursive passage of 400-450 words and a case-based factual passage with visual input (20 marks).
- Grammar: Determiners, tenses, modals, subject-verb concord and reported speech, assessed through gap filling, editing and transformation (10 marks).
- Writing skills: A formal letter (100-120 words) and an analytical paragraph based on a map, chart, graph or cue (10 marks).
- Literature: First Flight (prose): A Letter to God; Nelson Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom; Stories About Flying; From the Diary of Anne Frank; Glimpses of India; Mijbil the Otter; Madam Rides the Bus; The Sermon at Benares; The Proposal (play).
- Literature: First Flight (poems): Dust of Snow; Fire and Ice; A Tiger in the Zoo; How to Tell Wild Animals; The Ball Poem; Amanda!; The Trees; Fog; The Tale of Custard the Dragon; For Anne Gregory.
- Literature: Footprints Without Feet: A Triumph of Surgery; The Thief's Story; The Midnight Visitor; A Question of Trust; Footprints Without Feet; The Making of a Scientist; The Necklace; Bholi; The Book that Saved the Earth.
- Listening and speaking: Assessed for 5 marks as part of internal assessment, through role play, skits and other activities.
Hindi
- अपठित गद्यांश एवं पद्यांश (unseen passages): Comprehension of unseen prose and poetry passages.
- व्याकरण (grammar): Grammar prescribed for Class X Hindi Course-A / Course-B.
- पाठ्यपुस्तक (literature): Prose and poetry from the prescribed NCERT Hindi readers.
- लेखन (writing): Letters, advertisements, notices, and short compositions.
Computer Applications
- Computer Applications (optional subject): The Class X optional subject covering basic computing, internet services and web page design.
Health and Physical Education
- Health and Physical Education: Fitness, games and sports, yoga, health and nutrition, assessed internally.
About the CBSE exam
How the Class 10 board examination works
Class X ends with the CBSE Board Examination. Each main subject carries 80 marks for the board paper and 20 marks of internal assessment. Mathematics is offered at two levels (Standard and Basic). Some topics listed in the syllabus are marked for formative assessment only and are not asked in the board examination — the subject PDFs say which. The curriculum for 2026-27 follows the Secondary Curriculum Part 1, aligned with NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023.
Where the official syllabus comes from
Every subject syllabus in this table is taken from the Class X subject PDFs CBSE published for 2026-27. The same PDFs are on SkillStar's Downloads tab for this class.
When it happens
2027 Class 10/12 board subject-wise dates could not be verified in the official notices checked. Classes 1–9 and 11 follow school assessment timetables; ask the school for the next assessment. For board classes, follow CBSE's published final date sheet and your admit card when issued; do not treat expected February dates as confirmed. Status checked 1 November 2026.
Textbooks
CBSE prescribes NCERT textbooks for Class X, including First Flight and Footprints Without Feet for English. They are free on the NCERT portal.
Registration and exam-day information
Regular school candidates should confirm registration, subject entries, internal/practical assessments, exam fees, hall tickets and reporting instructions with their school. Exact dates and rules depend on the class and the current board notification.
CBSE syllabus for other classes
CBSE Class 10: questions parents ask
- What is in the CBSE Class 10 syllabus for 2026-27?
- 63 topics in Mathematics, Science, Social Science, English (Language and Literature), Hindi, Computer Applications and Health and Physical Education, laid out subject by subject on this page. On SkillStar your child can tick off each topic as they learn it.
- Are there CBSE Class 10 mock tests on SkillStar?
- Yes, 1 mock test. Each one is marked the moment your child finishes, with a question-by-question review, and can be taken again as often as they like.
- Can I download CBSE Class 10 papers?
- Yes. The CBSE Downloads tab on SkillStar has 15 files for this class.
- How does my child start CBSE Class 10 practice?
- Sign up free as a parent, add your child with their class, and pick CBSE from the exam list. Every new family gets welcome credits, lots of content costs nothing, and anything paid shows its price in credits before you decide.
- Is SkillStar the official CBSE website?
- No. SkillStar is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the organisers of these exams. Exam names belong to their respective owners. Check dates, fees and registration with the CBSE organisers.
SkillStar is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the organisers of these exams. Exam names belong to their respective owners.